| ASTR 330 | Fall 2007 |
|---|
| Date | Topics | Reading | Assignment Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 23 | Introductions | Syllabus | |
| Aug. 28 | Size Scales & Our Galaxy | Evans: Ch 1,2A Eric: p.1-4 | |
| Aug. 30 | Cosmology and the Origin of Elements | Evans: Ch 2A Eric: p.5-14 | HW 1 |
| Sept. 3 | The Early Galaxy and the First Stars | Evans: Ch 2B-C Eric: p.15-22 | |
| Sept. 6 | From Atoms to Molecules to Clouds | Evans: Ch 3A-C Eric: p.23-29 | Presentation Synopsis |
| Sept. 11 | Star Formation | Evans: Ch 3C Eric: p.30-31 | |
| Sept. 13 | Origin of planets | Evans: Ch 3D-E Eric: p.32-35 | HW 2 Darcy Barron: Fermi Paradox Margaret Hutton: Contact: How do we know? |
| Sept. 18 | Nature of Solar Systems | Evans: Ch 3E Eric: p.36-38 | Michael Johnson: Mission to Mars Ross Thompson: Hungry Aliens? |
| Sept. 20 | Habitable Planets | Evans: Ch 3F | HW 3 Rogelio Cruz: Origin of Live on Earth Tyler Natoli: Wormholes |
| Sept. 25 | Planets of Life | Evans: Ch 4A | Mark Trennert: Terraforming Mars Joseph Krischon: Transhumanism |
| Sept. 27 | Nature of Life | Evans: Ch 4A | HW 4 Margaret Gelman: Psychological Astrobiology David Esquivel: Public Perception of ETs |
| Oct. 2 | Origin of Life | Evans: Ch 4A-B Eric: p.39-40 | Gregory Frazier: Privileged Planet Alexander Waite: Life in our Solar System |
| Oct. 4 | Origin of Life | Evans: Ch 4C-D Eric: p.41-45 | HW 5 Danielle Campanella: ET and Religion- Reconcilable Bryan White: Alien Lifeforms: Possibilities |
| Oct. 9 | Life Alternatives | Evans: Ch 4E-G | |
Oct. 11 | Midterm | ||
| Oct. 16 | Life in the Solar System | Evans: Ch 5A-B | |
| Oct. 18 | Life in the Solar System | Evans: Ch 5C,D | HW 6 Timothy Noffke: Archaeoastronomy Se Hee Jang: ETs, so Far? |
| Oct. 23 | Biological Evolution | Evans: Ch 6A Eric: p.46-61 | Jennifer Christie: The Greys Jennifer Wojcicki: Voyager |
| Oct. 25 | Origin of Intelligence | Evans: Ch 6B Eric: p.62-66 | HW 7 Michael Murphy: Improbable Drives David Mayer: Self-Replicating Probes |
| Oct. 30 | Cultural Evolution | Evans: Ch 7A Eric: p.67-74 | Joshua Seiter: Black Holes Jonah Wolff: Colonizing Mars |
| Nov. 1 | Evolution of World View | Evans: Ch 7B Eric: p.75-91 | HW 8 Steven Wyatt: Extrasolar Planets |
| Nov. 6 | Lifetime | Evans: Ch 7C Eric: p.92-103 | Christine Fleener: Influence of ET on Imagination Emmanuel Arredondo: Aliens and Pyramids |
| Nov. 8 | Communication | Evans: Ch 8A-B,9A-C Eric: p.104-105 | HW 9 Nicholas Leners: Roswell Karna Gowda: Extraterrestrial Civilizations |
| Nov. 13 | Future of Civilization | Evans: Ch 9D-E Eric: p.106-119 | Sean White: Aliens in the Media Lindsay Ellch: Abducted! |
| Nov. 15 | Rockets | Evans: Ch 7D,10A | Rough Drafts Due |
| Nov. 20 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| Nov. 22 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| Nov. 27 | Space Travel | Evans: Ch 10 A | Nicholas Kopp: Theory/Reality of Interstellar Travel |
| Nov. 29 | Visitations | Evans: Ch 10 B | HW 10 David Zordan: L: When your Time is up Sean Rohan: Space Law |
| Dec. 4 | Contact | Evans: Ch 10 C | HW 11 |
| Dec. 6 | Review | Final Paper Due | |
Dec. 12 | Final Exam |